Saturday, April 21, 2012

Trans Iowa V8: Details To Make Note Of

 A Special Post For Trans Iowa Freaks Coming To T.I.V8: 

It won't be long before I see you riders in T.I.V8, but before I do, here are some important details you need to remember for this event:

  • The Pre-Race Meat-Up is a must attend meeting. Some riders opted out of eating, but all riders must be checked in by me by 6:30pm Friday. Once we go into the main meeting room, it is too late for you to get signed on and receive the all important cue sheet to start. If you are eating, please arrive the closest to 4:00pm that you can and start grilling. We need to get the show, (literally!) started by 7:00pm at the latest. I want everyone to be getting into the meeting room starting at 6:30pm, and when everyone is in, we'll get started.  
  • Cue Sheet Details: There are 14 cue sheets total for the entire event. One for the first leg, Six for the second leg, and Seven for the last. They are not all the same size, due to how I had to cut them up to get the checkpoints at the ends of cards. There will be three cue cards larger than the rest, one smaller, the rest varying between. The largest ones are all the same size and barely fit into a Glad sandwich bag. The cues will all come inside a Glad sandwich bag when you get them at the Pre-Race and at checkpoints. NOTE: Mileage resets at each checkpoint.
  • Checkpoint Details: Once again, the event starts promptly at 4:00am in front of Bikes To You on Broad Street in downtown Grinnell. You have until 9:30am to get to checkpoint Alpha at 52 miles. If you arrive one minute too late, you are done. No cues will be handed to late comers. If you make the cutoff, you will have until 9:30pm  to get to Checkpoint Bravo. This is at approximately 170 miles into the event. Remember- there are no services or anything at all at Checkpoint Bravo. It is a remote area. There will be one more Checkpoint that will not have a cut off time. It is the secret checkpoint Charlie. You'll be glad to find it when you do, if you do,  I suspect. The Finish Line must be reached by 2pm, Sunday April 28th to be an official finish. The Finish Line is at the corner of 8th and Bliss in Grinnell. Anyone wanting to hang out to see riders, (if any) coming in should be there by 5am for the leaders. (My best guess as of right now) 
  • Riders will be getting number plates this year. I will be inspecting to see that you have one visible on your body or on the bike at the start line. This is being done to discourage any rogue riders, (I've had rumors of such a thing this year). No one without a number plate will be allowed to roll out with the T.I.V8 field!  Anyone caught riding with unofficial rogue riders will be DQ'ed. 
  • Trans Iowa Radio: I finally got through the details to get this back on again. It will appear only here, not on the Trans Iowa site!  (Sorry, you'll just have to accept the terms to listen, I'm sure the price is right). (<===HA!) I will also say that updates will happen when I can get around to it. They may not come through all that well. They may not post at all. I can not help that. I'll be out in the Styx and won't have the time to deal with technical difficulties. If it works- hey great! If not- oh well! Finally- I can not give details on every rider, nor will I. I can not give detailed updates as to where the leaders are at all times, nor will I. I do this for fun first, and if anyone gets anything out of it- well it is more than nothing. I am not Cycling Dirt, nor do I pretend to serve an audience in that way.Otherwise, sit back and enjoy what there is.
  • Re-read this: Gravel Road Riding Tips. Read the Cue Sheets Explained post as well, but keep in mind that my info there regarding cue sheet sizes has been amended. (See "Cue Sheet Details" above. )
See ya'all in less than a week!

4 comments:

Exhausted_Auk said...

Thank you for this advance information. I am really looking forward to this event!
I have a couple additional questions, if you are able to answer them at this time:
1. What font size are the cue sheets? (Some of us are old enough that we might need to bring reading glasses!)
2. Can you give any advance information on mileage to service locations on the route? Or at least, what is the biggest distance we will have to ride between any two service locations? This will help to plan how much to carry in the way of food and water.

Many thanks!

Guitar Ted said...

@Exhausted_Auk: Font size is similar to what you see typed in bold on the post here. The first two cues sheets are slightly larger font than that.

As I have stated in the past- Riders should carry supplies to get them through 100 miles of riding. There will be several chances for re-supply in the first 150 miles, after that, very few to maybe a couple for the rest of the route.

I can not say with any certainty that certain places will be open at the time that you may pass. That said, at approximately 100m, and 200m there should be something available at any time you go by, keeping to my 100 mile suggestion.

John said...

Interesting...does each cue card already have its own sandwich bag?

I made a holder figuring I would be getting bare cards to put in my ziplocs I strung together on the bars.

Wondering if I should keep this system or just clip the bags you give out onto the bars. Thanks for any advice/clarification mark.

Guitar Ted said...

@John: Each set is contained in ONE baggie, so you probably will want to keep your system. The cues to Checkpoint Alpha are on one sheet, so you'll likely just attach it as is, but that's your call.

Cues to Checkpoint Bravo = SIX total in ONE baggie, and cues from Checkpoint Bravo to the Finish number SEVEN which are contained in ONE baggie.